Thanatos
Nation Information Thanatos is a growing, developing, and established nation at 162 days old with citizens primarily of Mixed ethnicity whose religion is Buddhism. It is a backwards nation when it comes to technology and many refer to it unkindly as a 'Third World Nation'. Its citizens pay extremely high taxes and many despise their government as a result. The citizens of Thanatos work diligently to produce Cattle and Aluminum as tradable resources for their nation. It is an aggressive country that some say has an itch for war. When it comes to nuclear weapons Thanatos will not research or develop nuclear weapons. The military of Thanatos has been positioned at all border crossings and is arresting all drug traffickers. Thanatos allows its citizens to protest their government but uses a strong police force to monitor things and arrest lawbreakers. Its borders are closed to all forms of immigration. Free speech is considered taboo in Thanatos. The government gives foreign aid when it can, but looks to take care of its own people first. Thanatos will trade with other nations with questionable ethical treatment of their citizens but prefers to keep such trade agreements a secret. Capital City The capital city of Thanatos is Milacros, a humble city established on what were once the shores of the Aral Sea (before it up and dried up, that is). From this seat of power, a mighty nation would rise up. The country's main military base is in Milacros, as are all branches of government and just under half of the country's population, as well as the country's main military base. Wars List of wars: *The Two Early Wars (Victory) *Article 15 War (Victory) *Jamaican War (Karma War) (White peace) *Hookonia Raid (Victory) *Purple Faction War (Victory) *Crytonian War (Victory) *Ryazan Raid (Ongoing) Thanatos was involved in two wars in its early days, one defensive, one offensive, both of which resulted in victory. However, these have been lost to history. Thanatos lost 152 soldiers in offensive and defensive battles during these wars. Article 15 War After Article 15 pulled out of a previously established trade agreement without explanation, Thanatos issued an ultimatum, to which Article 15 did not reply for one week. On 25 June 2009, Thanatos declared war on Article 15 at approximately 12:15 pm and immediately attacked. In the first battle of the war, Article 15 was pitted into anarchy and suffered .13 tech, 17.06 infra, and $50.46 loss as riots engulfed the nation. Article 15 remained in anarchy for the duration of the war and eventually ceased to exist, bringing an end to the war with no Thanati casualties and Article 15 in turmoil. The Karma War (Jamaican War) On 27 June at approximately 11:40 pm, Thanatos joined the cause of Karma and its alliance Sparta in order to play its part in the downfall of the tyrants, and so it invaded Jamaica. The first part of the war was fought on the night of June 27–28, in the First Quad Campaign. 1st Battle of Jamaica: (Victory) Thanatos losses: 80 soldiers Jamaica losses: 204 soldiers, .8 mi land, 4.042 infra, $3,911.02 2nd Battle of Jamaica: (V) Thanatos losses: 111 soldiers Jamaica losses: 113 soldiers, .768 mi land, 3.880 infra, $14,079.68 3rd Battle of Jamaica: (V) Thanatos losses: 128 soldiers Jamaica losses: 51 soldiers, .738 mi land, 3.725 infra, $2,393.55 4th Battle of Jamaica: (V) Thanatos losses: 53 soldiers Jamaica losses: 15 soldiers, .708 mi land, 3.577 infra, $11,608.70 Later on 28 June, Thanatos was attacked twice by the enemy in a futile attempt to recoup their losses. 1st Battle of Thanatos: (Defeat; 1st in Thanatos' military history) Thanatos losses: 126 soldiers, 2.022 mi land, 4.040 infra, $612.53 Jamaica losses: 36 soldiers The 1st Battle of Thanatos is thus far the most crushing defeat in Thanati history. However, it was quickly followed by one of its greatest victories. 2nd Battle of Thanatos: (V) Thanatos losses: 77 soldiers (500 casualty milestone reached) Jamaica losses: 171 soldiers, $2,822.86 This battle drove the enemy out of the country in retreat. However, this retreat was not to last. On the night of June 29, the Second Quad Campaign began, this time by Jamaicans on Thanati soil. 3rd Battle of Thanatos: (V) Thanatos losses: 137 soldiers Jamaica losses: 182 soldiers, $1,129.85 4th Battle of Thanatos: (V) Thanatos losses: 35 soldiers Jamaica losses: 98 soldiers, $4,161.43 1st Battle of the Border: (V) Thanatos losses: 20 soldiers Jamaica losses: 68 soldiers, $4,284.03 2nd Battle of the Border: (D) Thanatos losses: 203 soldiers, 1.941 mi land, 3.888 infra, $1,442.61 Jamaica losses: 152 soldiers This campaign was the most damaging in Thanati history, but overall resulted in a victory, with the enemy losing far more soldiers and money. It was followed by further Thanati offensive action. 5th Battle of Jamaica: (V) Thanatos losses: 135 soldiers (1,000 casualty milestone reached) Jamaica losses: 207 soldiers, .839 mi land, 3.434 infra, $4,615.56 6th Battle of Jamaica: (V) Thanatos losses: 9 soldiers Jamaica losses: 32 soldiers, .805 mi land, 3.296 infra, $1,417.64 7th Battle of Jamaica: (V) Thanatos losses: 215 soldiers Jamaica losses: 309 soldiers, .773 mi land, 3.565 infra, $1,852.15 1st Battle of Ganja: (D) Thanatos losses: 135 soldiers, $503.09 Jamaica losses: 96 soldiers The 1st Battle of Ganja was the first offensive defeat in Thanati history. However, the fact that a battle was fought so near the capital is a strong sign of Thanati military might. It was followed by the Third Quad Campaign, a further Jamaican invasion of Thanatos. Up to this point, the balance of war had been heavily on Thanatos' side. However, after the defeat at Ganja it became more even, and after the Third Quad Campaign, it appeared that Jamaica might have had a slight edge. 3rd Battle of the Border: (V) Thanatos losses: 153 soldiers Jamaica losses: 128 soldiers, $1,629.36 4th Battle of the Border: (V) Thanatos losses: 48 soldiers Jamaica losses: 69 soldiers, $5,464.07 5th Battle of the Border: (V) Thanatos losses: 90 soldiers Jamaica losses: 204 soldiers, $2,242.74 6th Battle of the Border: (D) Thanatos losses: 158 soldiers, 2.120 mi land, 4.132 infra, $1,445.18 Jamaica losses: 54 soldiers 8th Battle of Jamaica: (V) Thanatos losses: 186 soldiers (at this battle, the 2,000 casualty milestone was reached) Jamaica losses: 89 soldiers, 1.020 mi land, 3.423 infra, $4,621.70 2nd Battle of Ganja: (D) Thanatos losses: 79 soldiers, $722.17 Jamaica losses: 23 soldiers After the 2nd Battle of Ganja, Thanatos' technology advanced sufficiently to be able to purchase tanks. 9th Battle of Jamaica: (V) Thanatos losses: 207 soldiers, 2 tanks Jamaica losses: 414 soldiers, .979 mi land, 3.286 infra, $5,965.42 This was the riskiest offensive action by Thanatos of the war, but it resulted in a spectacular victory that led to another. 3rd Battle of Ganja: (V) Thanatos losses: 51 soldiers, 5 tanks Jamaica losses: 152 soldiers, .940 mi land, 3.154 infra, $1,014.12 This dual campaign shifted the balance of war to give Thanatos a slight edge once again. 4th Battle of Ganja: (V) Thanatos losses: 35 soldiers, 5 tanks Jamaica losses: 121 soldiers, .902 mi land, 3.028 infra, $1,530.59 5th Battle of Ganja: (D) Thanatos losses: 188 soldiers, 23 tanks, $2,306.98 Jamaica losses: 84 soldiers Jamaican forces ejected Thanati forces from their capital in the worst Thanati defeat in military history, once more tipping the balance to the middle. This war reaped far more benefits than all previous wars combined, although it was also more deadly and structurally damaging than those wars combined. Jamaica dropped from 341 strength to 262, a loss of 79 points, over 23%, and was additionally plunged into Anarchy for several days. Thanatos, meanwhile, gained 26 NS points (5.8%) since the day the war started, and consistently earned more victories. The war expired after 7 days, with neither side surrendering. Total losses Thanatos: Victories: 17 Defeats: 5 Soldiers: 2436 Tanks: 35 Land: 6.083 mi (+2.287 mi net gain) Infra: 12.060 Cash: $4,725.58 (+$68,938.30 net gain) Jamaica: Victories: 5 Defeats: 17 Soldiers: 2867 (118% of Thanati losses) Land: 8.370 mi (137.6%) Infra: 35.382 (293.4%) Cash: $73,213.88 (1549.3%) Overall, the war hurt Jamaica more than it hurt Thanatos, and the money Thanatos gained in war spoils was more than enough to cover damages incurred. Hookonia Raid On 16 July 2009 at 11:24 am, Thanatos undertook a raid on Hookonia to try to ease the nation's financial burdens, caused by a lengthy absence that seriously hurt the Thanati economy. 1st Battle of Hookonia: (V) 11:25 am 16/7/09 Thanatos losses: 153 soldiers Hookonia losses: 84 soldiers, 1.981 mi land, 2.803 infra, $188.45 2nd Battle of Hookonia: (V) 11:27 am 16/7/09 Thanatos losses: 6 soldiers Hookonia losses: 21 soldiers, 1.901 mi land, 2.691 infra, $1,108.09 These two battles of the raid were sufficiently helpful to allow Thanatos to pay its bills and recover its economy, and so Thanatos offered Hookonia peace. Hookonia, however, refused to admit surrender and attempted a Counter-raid which ended in Hookonian defeat. Hookonian Counter-raid: (V) 6:51 am 17/7/09 Thanatos losses: 12 soldiers, 1 tank Hookonia losses: 18 soldiers, $245.54 In retaliation, Thanatos attacked once again and then again offered Hookonia a white peace after pushing it to the verge of anarchy. 3rd Battle of Hookonia: (V) 8:52 am 17/7/09 Thanatos losses: 48 soldiers, 5 tanks Hookonia losses: 108 soldiers, 1.825 mi land, 2.583 infra, $1,836.84 4th Battle of Hookonia: (V) 8:56 am 17/7/09 Thanatos losses: 3 soldiers, 17 tanks Hookonia losses: 11 soldiers, 1.752 mi land, 2.479 infra, $1,983.79 There were likely a few subsequent battles as Hookonia sought to tip the balance of war. However, despite the absence and thus lack of retaliation by Thanatos, Hookonia was unable to defeat Thanatos or even incur grave losses, thus solidly making the Hookonia Raid a victory. Total losses Thanatos: Victories: >5 Soldiers: 222+ Tanks: 23+ Hookonia: Defeats: >5 Soldiers: 242+ Land: 7.459 mi Infra: 10.556 Cash: $5,362.71+ Purple Faction War (VE-GDI War) On 14 August, Thanatos declared war on Purple Faction of GDI in retaliation for the atrocities committed by that alliance against the post-Karma War truce, as well as to relieve a financial crisis that had set into the country. 1st Battle of Purple Faction: (V) 7:34 pm 14/8/09 Thanatos losses: 38 soldiers, 12 tanks Purple losses: 131 soldiers, 2.095 mi land, 6.891 infra, .726 tech, $95.74 This was one of the most resounding victories in Thanati history. 2nd Battle of Purple Faction: (V) 7:39 pm 14/8/09 Thanatos losses: 96 soldiers, 6 tanks Purple losses: 84 soldiers, 2 tanks, 2.011 mi land, 6.615 infra, .690 tech, $379.13 General Abz of the Purple Faction immediately began a retreat following these glorious Thanati victories. Purple Faction has been plunged into anarchy and its military forces are in almost complete disarray, barely even able to meet the advancing Thanati military on the field. General Abz offered a white peace, to which Yurkiel replied with surrender terms. Abz rejected this and counterattacked, proving a slightly more formidable foe than originally thought. His claim: "You brought this war upon yourself." Battle of Bugan: (D) 8:12 am 16/8/09 Thanatos losses: 455 soldiers, 74 tanks, 4.886 mi land, 7.610 infra, .597 tech, $50.01 Purple losses: 207 soldiers, 3 tanks This was one of the most resounding defeats in Thanati history. Battle of Karashalan: (D) 8:13 am 16/8/09 Thanatos losses: 131 soldiers, 4.691 mi land, 7.305 infra, .567 tech, $129.36 Purple losses: 99 soldiers, 8 tanks This duo campaign noticeably hurt Thanatos and caused NS to drop a fair amount. However, the subsequent retaliation by Thanatos in the First Quad Campaign pummeled Purple Faction to such an extent that General Abz pulled out his troops from Thanatos and once again offered peace and Yurkiel sent his terms. Telling of their financial situation are the minuscule amounts of stolen money during this campaign. Battle of the Coast: (V) 11:54 pm 16/8/09 Thanatos losses: 230 soldiers Purple losses: 389 soldiers, 21 tanks, 2.314 mi land, 6.470 infra, .713 tech, $.84 This magnificent victory opened the gates to an all-out Thanati invasion. Battle of Snow Mount: (V) 11:57 pm 16/8/09 Thanatos losses: 236 soldiers, 6 tanks Purple losses: 69 soldiers, 2.222 mi land, 6.212 infra, .678 tech, $1.25 3rd Battle of Purple Faction: (V) 12:00 am 17/8/09 Thanatos losses: 9 soldiers, 5 tanks Purple losses: 32 soldiers, 9 tanks, 2.133 mi land, 5.963 infra, .644 tech, $1.26 This victory led Thanati troops to the capital city of Purple Faction and eliminated all remaining Purple tanks. 1st Battle of Oasis: (V) 12:02 pm 17/8/09 Thanatos losses: 26 soldiers, 5 tanks Hookonia losses: 89 soldiers, 2.048 mi land, 5.725 infra, .612 tech, $.50 Following this campaign, over 80% of Purple soldiers were dead and 100% of tanks destroyed, in addition to catastrophic tech, land, and infra losses. Abz was offered peace terms, 2nd Battle of Oasis: (V) 10:39 pm 18/8/09 Thanatos losses: 248 soldiers, 5 tanks Purple losses: 84 soldiers, 1.966 mi land, 5.496 infra, .581 tech, $394.14 3rd Battle of Oasis: (V) 10:42 pm 18/8/09 Thanatos losses: none Purple losses: The government of Purple Faction was sent into Anarchy due to their lack of security forces; riots engulfed the nation of Purple Faction as Thanati soldiers relaxed and enjoyed their victory. Following this catastrophic (for Purple Faction) campaign, Gen. Yurkiel offered Gen. Abz a peace with no terms other than accepting POW status. Thanati NS was again on the rise, while Purple NS had dropped 157 (-23% drop) since the war's start. General Abz accepted these terms and peace returned. Total losses Thanatos: Victories: 8 (+6) Defeats: 2 Soldiers: 1469 (-121/111%) Tanks: 107 (-59/237%) Land: 9.577 (+5.212) Infra: 14.915 (39.4%) Tech: 1.164 (+3.480) Cash: $179.37 (+$693.49) Purple Faction: Victories: 2 Defeats: 8 Soldiers: 1184 Tanks: 43 Land: 14.789 mi Infra: 43.372 Tech: 4.644 Cash: $872.86 Overall, although this war was costly for the military, captured land and technology more than offset the cost. Technology in particular went up as a result. General Abz sent several inflammatory messages to General Yurkiel following this war. Crytonian War On 30 September, Thanatos declared war on Crytonia in pursuit of a growth in the country's technology sector. This declaration ended the Pax Thanati which had lasted over a month. 1st Battle of Crytonia: (V) 11:08 pm 30/09/09 Thanatos losses: 198 soldiers, 60 tanks Crytonia losses: 690 soldiers, 7.918 mi land, 14.120 infra, 2.221 tech, $937.56 This was solidly the most resounding victory in Thanati history. 2nd Battle of Crytonia: (V) 11:10 pm 30/09/09 Thanatos losses: 123 soldiers, 36 tanks Crytonia losses: 338 soldiers, 7.603 mi land, 13.558 infra, 2.110 tech, $303.15 Bombardment of Aerdia: 11:14 pm 30/09/09 Crytonia losses: 1.00 tech, 5.01 infra This was the first use of a cruise missile by Thanatos, and had the intended psychological effect. After the first day of war, Thanati NS rose by 38 (from 2137 to 2175) while Crytonian NS dropped 168 (from 1604 to 1436). 3rd Battle of Crytonia: (V) 7:28 am 1/10/09 Thanatos losses: 221 soldiers, 11 tanks Crytonia losses: 254 soldiers, 7.300 mi land, 12.817 infra, 1.955 tech, $3,301.25 After this battle, the Crytonian government spun off into anarchy. 4th Battle of Crytonia: (V) 7:28 am 1/10/09 Thanatos losses: 273 soldiers, 39 tanks Crytonia losses: 78 soldiers, 7.008 mi land, 12.305 infra, 1.857 tech, $3,739.42 After the second day of war, Thanati NS rose by 37 (from 2175 to 2212) while Crytonian NS dropped 123 (from 1436 to 1313). In other words, Thanatos grew more than 3% while Crytonia dropped more than 18%, and the NS gap grew by 366 points. Following the 4th Battle of Crytonia and the occupation of the capital Aerdia, General Yurkiel of Thanatos offered a white peace to Crytonia. However, two full days passed and the peace was not accepted, so Yurkiel resumed the war. 1st Battle of Aerdia: (V) 11:00 pm 4/10/09 Thanatos losses: 0 soldiers Crytonia losses: 0 soldiers, 40.09 infra, 1.76 tech, $7,713.28 The Crytonian army was so small that there was no real confrontation and riots engulfed the nation, with the government collapsing. The planned second offensive proved unnecessary as Crytonian infrastructure collapsed completely. Crytonian NS fell 129 points, bringing its total war losses to 420 points, or 26.2%, while Thanati gains totaled 100 points, or a 4.7% rise. Aerdian Raid: (V) 7:13 pm 5/10/09 Thanatos losses: 0 soldiers Crytonia losses: 0 soldiers, 40.09 infra, 1.68 tech, $7,327.62 Crytonian NS dropped an additional 128 points (for a total loss of 548, or 34.2%) while Thanati NS went up by 30 (for a total gain of 130, or 6.1%). This was the most successful campaign in Thanati history, causing astonishingly catastrophic amounts of damage and gaining vast resources in a very short period of time. Total losses Thanatos: Victories: 6 Soldiers: 815 (+545/59.9%) Tanks: 146 Tech: (+3.480) Cash: (+$693.49) Crytonia: Defeats: 6 Soldiers: 1360 Land: 29.829 mi Infra: 138.044 Tech: 12.583 (11.583 captured) Cash: $23,322.28 Ryazan War On 1 November, Thanatos declared war on Ryazan in pursuit of a general growth in the country's industry and fiscal sectors. This invasion ended nearly a month of peace. 1st Battle of Ryazan: (V) 9:28 am 1/11/09 Thanatos losses: 672 soldiers, 6 tanks Ryazan losses: 1485 soldiers, 7.247 mi land, 20.084 infra, 2.511 tech, $656,888.18 The Ryazan government fell into anarchy following this battle. 2nd Battle of Ryazan: (V) 9:31 am 1/11/09 Thanatos losses: 242 soldiers, 23 tanks Ryazan losses: 327 soldiers, 6.958 mi land, 20.089 infra, 2.385 tech, $226,626.42 1st Aerial Raids on Ryazan City: 9:35 and 9:36 am 1/11/09 Ryazan losses: 16.67 infra This was the first use of aerial force by Thanatos, and had the intended psychological effect. Bombardment of Ryazan City: ~9:40 am 1/11/09 Thanatos losses: 2 missiles Ryazan losses: 5.03 infra, 1.01 tech Following the first day of war, Thanati NS went up 304 points(11.2%), helped also in part by the second tech deal, while Ryazan NS dropped 377 (11.9%). Thanatos offered light peace terms in the form of a ceasefire and complete withdrawal. 1st Battle of Ryazan City (V) 7:43 am 2/11/09 Ryazan losses: 40.27 infra, 2.06 tech, $355,388.00 (destroyed) This battle caused the most damage ever inflicted by the Thanati army on an enemy and incited a handful of human rights protests at home (although they never turned into anti-war protests). Ryazan, meanwhile, fell into chaos as riots engulfed the nation. 2nd Aerial Raids on Ryazan City: 7:47 and 7:48 am 2/11/09 Ryazan losses: 7.48 infra General Yurkiel once again offered the same peace terms after the aerial campaigns of the second day of the conflict were done. Yurkiel gave them a day of peace in which to rebuild before once again calling an offensive. 2nd Battle of Ryazan City (V) 8:19 am 4/11/09 Ryazan losses: 40.31 infra, 1.96 tech, $337,618.60 (destroyed) This battle caused the most damage ever inflicted by the Thanati army on an enemy and incited a handful of human rights protests at home (although they never turned into anti-war protests). Ryazan, meanwhile, fell into chaos as riots engulfed the nation. 3rd Aerial Raids on Ryazan City: 8:22 and 8:23 am 4/11/09 Ryazan losses: 20.86 infra The most effective air raids of the war. Yurkiel again offered peace terms following the raids. By this time, Thanati NS, boosted by the Second and Third Tech Deals, had risen 474 points to 3198 (17.4%), surpassing Ryazan's all-time high, while Ryazan NS had dropped 724 points to 2447 (22.8%). Peace was declared by both sides at noon on 5 November, and the war ended. Part of the prompting for this quick peace was Fark's insistence of peace in order for Thanatos' admittance to the alliance. Total losses Thanatos: Victories: 6 Soldiers: 815 (+545/59.9%) Tanks: 146 Tech: (+3.480) Cash: (+$693.49) Crytonia: Defeats: 6 Soldiers: 1360 Land: 29.829 mi Infra: 138.044 Tech: 12.583 (11.583 captured) Cash: $23,322.28 History Foundation Thanatos was founded on 9 June 2009 and quickly began developing into a prosperous young nation. Its founder, Aram Yurkiel, became the new country's dictator and a national hero. He took the title 'Grand General and Chancellor of Thanatos' and began building his nation from the capital, Milacros, out. The Stagnations *1st: 12–23 June *2nd: 4–16 July (the Crisis; Dark July) *3rd: 18–25 July *4th: 15–28 August *5th: 8–15 October Early Wars and the Jump In the beginning of its history, Thanatos fought three small, short, expansive wars with neighboring countries. All three resulted in victory and small loss of life, but were of little benefit to the country other than in keeping the populace entertained and providing small amounts of financial resources and experience for the troops. See more about these wars in the section above (introductory paragraph and Article 15 War). On 23 June 2009, after a prolonged absence resulted in a Thanati stagnation (the First Stagnation), the jump occurred, where in one single day, Thanati NS shot up from 232 to 392, a shocking 160 growth (almost 70%) in a single day. The Karma War and The Karma Transition Thanatos joined the great Sparta alliance on 15 June 2009. Soon after the conclusion of the Article 15 War, Thanatos was finally prepared to join in its patriotic duty and begin participation in the Karma War. Shortly after entering the Karma War, General/Chancellor Yurkiel decided to try to solidify his country and please his people further to better fulfill his duty towards his alliance, beginning what is now called the Karma Transition. His first steps were to return the tax rate to 28% to fund the move (after lowering it to 13% in previous days), change the national religion to Hinduism, change the government to a transitional Federal Government, and change his official title to High Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Thanatos, as well as lowering the DEFCON level from 2 to 3 in light of the great victories in Jamaica. However, war events forced the DEFCON level to return to 1 soon thereafter. Fortunately, the planned final government transition to Democracy was successfully made on 1 July, now celebrated as Democracy Day. Also, the tax rate was readjusted to 25% in light of the large number of war spoils and the beneficial effect of a lower tax rate on the economy. Land did not expanded as much as hoped, but infrastructure grew a fair bit, and technology advanced greatly during this period. The war continued for 7 days, causing grave losses on both sides, but far more on the Jamaican side, in fact helping Thanati nation strength and economy to a high NS of 449. The war concluded on 3 July in a ceasefire as the war expired. The Slump, Dark July, and the Crisis On 4 July, the day following the end of the Jamaican War, the Thanati nation strength slumped to 415, in part due to the losses of the 5th Battle of Ganja and the continuation of DEFCON level 1. This is known simply as the Slump. It recovered slightly to 424 the following day, but then went into a lengthy period of stagnation at that NS due to the absence of the great leader High Chancellor Yurkiel. This became known as Dark July. Not until 14 July did Yurkiel return, to find the economy in distress and at a breaking point due to the fact that income taxes did not bring sufficient funds to cover bill payment. These two dark days during which the economy seemed on the verge on collapsing, along with the government, were referred to simply as the Crisis. Protests grew in size and shifted in ideology to an anti-government tone, causing a panic in upper levels of government. The Crisis Alleviated (Hookonia) After working on this issue for two days, Chancellor Yurkiel came to the conclusion that only a raid could save the Thanati economy, government, and way of life, and thus ordered the Hookonia raid to commence on 16 July. The DEFCON level was lowered as a preliminary measure to raise funds. The raid was quick and successful and brought home enough money to cover bills which had been accruing since 5 July. The raid also brought new strength to the nation of Thanatos, reaching 442 the 1st day of the raid, levels unseen since before the Slump. Hookonia attempted to fight back, but the 2nd day of the raid left Hookonia in a shambles and Thanatos at its highest NS in history, 459. However, Chancellor Yurkiel was once again forced to go abroad to deal with foreign nations following Thanati offensives on the second day of the raid. However, having learned from the events of the Slump, Dark July, and the Crisis, Yurkiel prepared the country for his absence, especially an absence that came during a war. The DEFCON shot up to Level 1 again, and the military expanded to its greatest possible size, but the tax rate was dropped to 10%. These measures kept the country both militarily and economically protected, and the population was much happier than during Dark July. Yurkiel's Return and the Time of Growth Chancellor Yurkiel returned to Thanatos on 25 July and continued to expand his nation. Following the much milder Third Stagnation (caused by his absence), Yurkiel added some slow growth and on 27 July he implemented several policies to keep in the spirit of the Karma Transition from earlier in the month as well as to increase nation growth: lowering DEFCON to 5, changing (due to popular acclaim) the government to a monarchy, changing (again for the people) religion to Buddhism and then to Taoism, and raising the tax rate to 28%. On 27 July, 500 NS was reached and passed for the first time (to 509 NS). On 3 August, 600 NS was reached and surpassed for the first time (to 602 NS). NS, land, and infrastructure continue to rise significantly, with technology also growing in small amounts. The nation's first improvement due to the population growth caused by the reforms was bought during this period, a Bank. The reforms continued and Thanatos broke 700 and went clear into the 800s on 14 August (852 NS from 692, a jump of 160, tied for the highest in history, but the second highest in proportion at the time at ~23%). The Purple War On 11 August, Yurkiel was contacted about joining a trade circle headed by Captain Oblivious. Previous offers had not been fruitful, but within two days, a response was given. On 14 August, Thanatos made the first trade agreement to join the Oblivious Trade Circle. With this came the possibility of foreign aid, which would have been the first in the nation's history. However, no further progress was ever made and celebrations quickly died down. On 14 August, for the first time in nearly one month, the nation of Thanatos declared war on Purple Faction of GDI, in retaliation for breaking the truce against NPO following the end of the Karma War. This was a part of the larger VE-GDI War. War preparations were taken, including lowering taxes, raising the DEFCON level, and military expansion. Also very notable was the adoption of the first national flag. The war caused more damage than any other war in history save the epic Jamaican War (Karma War). However, after several peace deals were thrown around, General Abz of Purple Faction surrendered to the Thanati forces, following a string of crushing defeats. Peace was signed on 19 August. On 23 August, the national religion was changed to Islam and the DEFCON level returned to prewar levels. The Fourth Stagnation and the Time of Growth From 15 to 16 August, Thanati NS dipped by 26 points, from 852 to 826 NS, and did not regain until 18 August. Only very modest increases broken up by long stretches of flatliners happened until 28 August, when NS once again rose and broke 900 NS (to 940). The following day, Thanati NS reached 1000 and continues to rise. On 28 August, technology nearly doubled and the national religion was changed to Islam. On 4 September, NS crossed from 1,099 to 1,136. The military remains strong and all troops were recalled home on 9 September, following a catastrophic earthquake that affected many in the nation. The benevolent government kept the news mostly off the media so that its citizens would not be unduly alarmed. The period from 27 August to 8 October became known as the Time of Growth due to the fact that NS grew almost every single day. On 9 September, the First Phase of the Time of Growth ended, giving way to the Second (Tech) Phase, the most prosperous phase. The Tech Deal and the Great Growth On 9 September, a message was received, resulting in a tech deal that proved beneficial to Thanatos. Yurkiel approved the deal and an era of cooperation with Obfuse of Fark began as Obfuse sent in $3 million in return for 100 tech. On that same day, 9 September, NS shot up 245 points, the largest increase in history (though not by percentage at only ~21%). The nation's second improvement, a Harbor, was bought using these funds. The following day, 10 September, this stunning climb continued up 368 NS points to 1,789 NS (flying by the 1500 NS milestone), once again shattering the record for points, as well as showing the second-highest percentage growth in history, 25.9%. The government's efficient handling of this influx of capital was magnificent, with infrastructure and land growing in tandem with the military and police forces of Thanatos. In these first two days, the percentage of growth was 52.1%. This period, in addition to the Second Phase and the Tech Phase, received the moniker the Great Growth and is seen as a continuation of the prosperity of the Time of Growth, separated only by a few days of mild growth. On 13 September, 2,000 NS was reached and surpassed. Starting on that day, growth slowed and peaked temporarily at 2,190 NS on 19 September, after which (following the fulfillment of the first part of the tech deal) NS temporarily dropped to 2,150 for a few days, returning to 2,192 on the 22nd. The 19th is generally seen as the beginning of the Third Phase of the Time of Growth, as development tapered off. Growth continued at a substantially slower pace for several days more. On 27 September, the official religion was changed to Confucianism, per the wishes of the people. The growth spurred by the Tech Deal continued for several days, tapering off by 8 October. The Crytonian War and the End of the Time of Growth Near the end of the Time of Growth, Thanatos flexed its new industrial muscles and invaded the country of Crytonia, spurring further growth. This was the first war Thanatos had been involved in in over a month. The invasion began on 30 September, marking the beginning of the Fourth (Crytonian) Phase of the Time of Growth. The Crytonian War was the most successful military campaign in Thanati history, with the Thanati Army effectively crushing the Crytonian military within two days, and causing the state to collapse shortly thereafter. The resources amassed from the invasion were unprecedented, although their effect was not quite as distinctly noticeable in the context of the Time of Growth. The war ended on 5 October 2009 in a resounding Thanati victory. This was the first time cruise missiles were used by the Thanati Army. The Crytonian War allowed for the Time of Growth to continue for several more days, but eventually, on 8 October, the last of growth was seen for some time and the Fifth Stagnation set in. This stagnation, however, only lasted for a week, until 15 October, and it was mild and had few effects on the country. Following this, a time of uneven growth set in, growth that continued for several days. 2500 NS was reached and passed on 22 October. Notable about this time period is the growth of technology in the military, as several cruise missiles and airplanes were added to the arsenal. The Thanati Air Force was officially set up on 16 October 2009, and the Thanati Missile Agency the following day. The Winds of Change: Ryazan and Fark On 1 November, Thanatos approved a $3 million tech deal with Dark Rule of Fark. The same day, negotiations began with the Empire of Shmoshas, also of Fark, resulting in a deal that was approved on 4 November. Growth once again took off, and it continues to this day. The growth on 1 November was stratospheric at 304 points, the second largest in history (although not by percentage), and took Thanatos to and past the 3000 milestone. On the 11th, NS passed 3500, but dipped again the following day after Thanatos' trading partners accepted their respective foreign aid. However, this milestone was passed again on the 18th. In tandem with the approval of the Dark Rule deal on 1 November, General Yurkiel commenced an invasion of the large and powerful country of Ryazan. Victory was quick, and monetary and other resources poured into the country. The Thanati Air Force saw its first action here, in the form of aerial bombardments. The Ryazan army was crushed and the nation fell into chaos, with the surrender becoming official at noon on 5 November. Also on 5 November, shortly after the peace settlement was signed, General Yurkiel formally entered the nation of Thanatos into the powerful alliance Fark. On 10 November, several reforms took place. Taking advantage of the profitable economic conditions, the national currency was changed from the riyal to the kyat, and the state religion was changed from Islam to Buddhism. A long-awaited land expansion also allowed for some land reform provisions to lower population density on this day. Also on this day, preparations for the six-month anniversary on 9 December began, including a sizable expansion of the military. Throughout this period, negotiations were taking place regarding Thanatos' entry into the alliance Fark. Notes were made regarding Thanatos' previous failures to officially register through the proper channels on the site. On 5 November, General Yurkiel officially requested permission to enter the alliance; however, the alliance quickly made known their displeasure at the nation's previous actions. On 10 November, General Yurkiel apologized and offered to stand trial for any crimes which the alliance may consider he has committed, as well as to submit to appropriate punishments if necessary. Public confidence dipped in this atmosphere of uncertainty about the country's political future, although it did not slip too far due to the obvious economic, military, technological, and social progress. On 14 November 2009, after 9 days of negotiations, Fark officially admitted the nation of Thanatos into the alliance and the country began the process of becoming a full-fledged member on 16 November. Massive celebrations took place starting on the 14th and continued for several days. In recognition of the importance of this event in the country's history, a new national flag was adopted. On 18 November, the monarchy was dissolved and a revolutionary government put into place. General Yurkiel remained at the head of the government The expansion of the military is also notable here. The Thanati Air Force, established in mid-October, expanded, modernized, and truly became an institution of the military. The arsenal of cruise missiles also increased considerably, allowing for the Thanati Missile Agency to officially its own separate branch of the military (not under the jurisdiction of the Air Force) on 1 November. Several tech deals continued throughout this time period, eventually expanding into 5 continuously running deals that set in a period of almost permanent growth. On 5 December, after a stagnation of a few days, NS rose stratospherically, increasing by 412 points in one day, the largest single-day increase in history by points (not by percentage). The following day, this record was once again broken as NS rose 451 points. That same day, the national religion changed to Shintoism and the nation's first stadium was built. Technological level remained much the same throughout this period, and the military was expanded only in fits and starts, but land and especially infrastructure and improvements flourished in this new environment. Holidays *9 June: Foundation Day (major) *23 June: Jump Day *16 July: Raid Day *14 August: Flag Day *29 August: Thousand Day *9 September: Tech Day (major) *30 September: Crytonia Day *1 November: Development Day *14 November: Fark Day (major) *18 November: Revolutionary Day